Parents keep preschool hours in 2015

PARENTS will keep their access to subsidised preschool hours in 2015, but the government has not committed to funding beyond next year.

THE government pledged $406 million to extend an early childhood learning agreement, meaning parents have certainty about preschool hours in 2015.

Assistant Education Minister Sussan Ley said the money extended the national partnership Labor signed, which was due to expire. "I want to reassure parents wherever they are that their children will have access to up to 15 hours of preschool (a week), just as they have this year," Ms Ley told reporters on Friday. But Ms Ley said the government would not extend the agreement further until the Productivity Commission's inquiry into child care was completed. "The 12 months funding will move us past our responses to the Productivity Commission inquiry," Ms Ley said.
The money will be distributed to the states to fund an extra five preschool hours a week, above the 10 hours state governments provide. Victorian Children's Minister Wendy Lovell said parents and kindergartens could now plan for next year with certainty. Early Childhood Australia's Ros Cornish said the funding decision gave educators time to talk to the government about money beyond next year. "Our challenge will be to convince government about ongoing funding for universal access," Ms Cornish said. Ms Cornish said she would lobby for money for the government's paid parental leave scheme to be transferred to child care. Ms Ley said child care and parental leave were completely separate policies. "It's about women's access to an entitlement through their work that allows them to leave work and have a child. Child care is about returning to work," Ms Ley said. Ms Ley said the government was waiting for the largest review into the childcare system to be handed down in late October. Submissions to the Productivity Commission inquiry into child care close on Friday.

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